A major scandal has erupted in Ranchi concerning the black marketing of tickets for an international cricket match. Police have intensified their action against illegal ticket sales, arresting three individuals suspected of scalping tickets just a day before the highly anticipated game. The investigation, however, is now hinting at a deeper conspiracy involving officials within the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), who may be facilitating the outflow of tickets for resale. The central question is how these tickets are being diverted from official channels, and JSCA internal involvement is under scrutiny.
The arbitrary and unfair distribution of match tickets has drawn sharp criticism, notably from former Chief Minister Arjun Munda via social media. Reports are rife with allegations of mismanagement and favorit. Adding another layer to the controversy, passes intended for media personnel have reportedly not been delivered to their intended recipients. Two prominent officials are at the heart of this alleged misappropriation. Jaykumar Sinha, a former cricket coach, has been identified by members of the press as the individual with final authority over media pass distribution. Sanjay Pandey is also implicated, with JSCA sources indicating that he held the discretion over the number and allocation of these media passes.
Acting on credible intelligence, a special team from the Dhurwa Police Station executed a raid and apprehended three persons. They were found in possession of 13 match tickets across different price categories. The operation was reportedly led by Vimal Kindo, the officer leading the Dhurwa Police Station. The confiscated tickets, valued in the thousands of rupees, included those priced at Rs 1200, Rs 1600, and Rs 1700. During their custodial interrogation, the accused confessed to operating as an organized group. They allegedly paid bribes to laborers and assistants at the ticket counters to acquire extra tickets, which they then sold to enthusiastic fans at inflated prices, often two to three times the original cost. The investigation is currently avoiding delving into the primary source of these tickets for the arrested individuals.
On the basis of the suspects’ statements, an FIR has been lodged, implicating ten more individuals, including Vishal Chikky, Jitendra Jaiswal, Amit Tobo, Santosh Kumar, Ritik Singh, Manish Kumar, and Sumit. Authorities are actively working to track down and apprehend the remaining fugitives. Persistent complaints regarding ticket scalping had surfaced in the vicinity of the JSCA stadium. Despite prior official warnings, a number of cricket aficionados were reportedly forced to purchase tickets at considerably higher rates.